Put Down the Duckie
"Put Down the Duckie", performed by Hoots the Owl and Ernie, encourages one not to let possessions get in the way of other activities. Ernie wants to play the saxophone, but due to the presence of Rubber Duckie in his hand, he can only produce a squeak. Bob sang a portion of the song in a 1993 episode. In a segment from the 1990s, Ellen DeGeneres listened to this song on a Walkman, explaining to Elmo how portable music players work. (EKA: Episode 3448) This segment occasionally led into the "Put Down the Duckie" sketch (starting with the music playing, cutting out the intro). In German, the song is known as "Weg mit dem Entchen!" In a Play With Me Sesame insert, Ernie uses the song during a game of "Ernie Says" about being happy and sad. Christopher Cerf and Bob McGrath sang the song at the Brooklyn Public Library on November 21, 2009. Lyrics Ernie: '''Excuse me, Mr Hoots. I hate to bug a busy bird, but I want to learn the sax and I need a helpful word. I always get a silly squeak when I play the blues. '''Hoots: '''Ernie, keep your cool. I'll teach you how to blow the sax. I think I dig your problem. It's rubber and it quacks. You'll never find the sound you seek 'til you pay your dues. You gotta put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. Put down the duckie, yes, you gotta leave the duck alone. You gotta put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. You didn't hear a word I said! You gotta get it through your head. Don't be a stubborn cluck! Ernie, lay aside the duck. I learned a thing or two from years of playing in a band. It's hard to play a saxophone with something in your hand. To be a fine musician, you're gonna have to face the facts. You gotta put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''John Candy: '''Put down the duckie. '''Andrea Martin: '''Put down the duckie. You gotta leave the duck alone. You gotta put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''Hoots: '''Put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''John Candy: '''Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. '''New York Mets (Keith Hernandez and Mookie Wilson) '''You gotta put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''Madeline Kahn: '''Put down the duckie, yeah you gotta leave the duck alone, oh. '''Joe Williams: '''Put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''Joe Williams: '''Put down that duckie. '''Pee-wee Herman: '''Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo: '''Put down the duckie. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo Lead Singer: '''Oh yeah, you gotta... '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo: '''Put down the duckie. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo Lead Singer: '''Put down the duckie. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo: '''Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo: '''Oh yeah, you gotta put down the duckie. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo Lead Singer: '''Put down that duckie. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo: '''Put down the duckie. '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo Lead Singer: '''Oh, yeah, you gotta... '''Ladysmith Black Mambazo: '''Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. '''Hoots: '''Don't have to put it on a train. Don't have to wash it down the drain. Don't have to lock it in a drawer. Don't have to shove it out the door. Don't have to shove it in your pocket. Or send it flying in a rocket. Don't have to get it out of town. Ernie, put the quacker down. '''Celia Cruz: (spanish) Suerte patito. Itzhak Perlman: 'Put down the duckie. '''Gordon Peters and Jean Marsh: '''Put down the duckie, yeah, you got to leave the duck alone. '''Paul Simon: '''You gotta put down the duckie. '''Celia Cruz: '(spanish) Suerte patito. '''Paul Simon: '''You gotta put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. '''Jeremy Irons: '''You gotta put down that duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''Pete Seeger: '''Put down the duckie. '''Jeremy Irons: '''Put down the duckie. '''Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman: '''Put down the duckie. You gotta leave the duck alone. '''New York Giants (Carl Banks, Mark Ingram, Sean Landeta, and Carl Nelson): You gotta put down the duckie. Background Singers: 'Put down the duckie. '''Pete Seeger: '''Put down the duckie. '''New York Giants (Carl Banks, Mark Ingram, Sean Landeta, and Carl Nelson): '''Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. '''Hoots: '''You gotta put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''Hoots: '''Put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put it down! '''Hoots: '''Put down the duckie, yeah, you gotta leave the duck alone, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, oh. You gotta put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''Hoots: '''Put down that duckie! '''Background Singers: '''Put it down! '''Hoots: '''Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. Put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put down the duckie. '''Hoots: '''Put down the duckie. '''Background Singers: '''Put it down! '''Hoots: '''Put down the duckie, yeah, you gotta leave the duck alone. Ba-diddly-dee-doodly-doo! '''Background Singers; '''Put down the duckie. '''Hoots: '''I said put it down! Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone! Yeeeeaaaah! ''Sesame Street, Special Credits Version '''Jane Curtin: '''You gotta put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. '''Gladys Knight: '''Put down the duckie, yeah, you gotta leave the duck alone. '''Ralph Nader: Put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. Big Bird, Snuffy, David, Olivia, Willy, Mr. Macintosh, Luis, Bob, Susan, Gordon, Maria, Uncle Wally, Gina, and Linda: '''Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. '''Robert MacNiel: '''Put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. '''Barbara Walters: '''Put down the duckie, yes, you gotta leave the duck alone. '''Paul Simon: '''You gotta put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. I'm leavin' the duckie, I wanna play the saxophone. '''Phil Donahue: Put down the duckie. Put down the duckie. Put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. Scooby-dooby-dooby-doo! Cast * Jim Henson as Ernie * Kevin Clash as Hoots * Noel MacNeal as right-hand performer of Ernie * David Rudman as Drummer Celebrity Guest Stars * Yosh Shmenge * Andrea Martin * New York Mets ** Keith Hernandez ** Mookie Wilson * Madeline Kahn * Joe Williams * Pee-Wee Herman * Pee-Wee's Playhouse characters ** Chairry ** Mr. Window ** Clocky ** Conky * Ladysmith Black Mambazo * Wynton Marsalis * Celia Cruz * Itzhak Perlman * Gordon Peters * Jean Marsh * Paul Simon * Jeremy Irons * Pete Seeger * Danny Devito * Rhea Perlman * New York Giants ** Carl Banks ** Sean Landeta ** Mark Ingram ** Carl Nelson * Jane Curtin Credits * Danny Devito * Rhea Perlman * Martina Navratilova * Andrea Martin * Jane Curtin * Gladys Knight and The Pips * Ralph Nader * Sesame Street Cast ** Big Bird ** Snuffy ** David ** Olivia ** Willy ** Mr. Macintosh ** Luis ** Bob ** Susan ** Gordon ** Maria ** Uncle Wally ** Gina ** Linda * Robert MacNiel * Barbara Walters * Paul Simon * Phil Donahue Category:Songs Category:Sesame Street Songs Category:Ducks! Category:Music Category:Silly :P Category:Advice Category:Toys Category:Birds